Please forgive me for any triggering. I don't own Monk. Thanks for reviewing.

CH 4

Getting Out

Joe stopped by his house to get a change of clothes and left Adrian Monk cuffed to the car again. The time alone, gave Adrian a chance to think. He needed to get a hold of the Davenports before the kidnappers did and before they accused him of trying to rape Natalie. Then, he needed to get over to them without the police suspecting them or Joe of helping him.

Joe returned and they drove the rest of the way to Adrian's apartment in silence. As they stepped inside the beleaguered detective's apartment, Joe finally spoke up. "You're awfully quiet Adrian," he said, looking around his home for the first time.

"I'm just thinking about the case," he shrugged, lifting up his shackled wrists to Joe.

"Sorry," Joe smiled apologetically. He dropped his duffel bag and dug into his pocket for the key and released him. Adrian smiled his thanks, rubbing his wrists.

"I need to get cleaned up. Make yourself at home, but, you know, don't make a mess."

"I'll be right here," Joe smiled.

Adrian turned and went to his bedroom to get a fresh shirt, jeans, and his running shoes. He figured he'd be needing those shoes soon enough. Adrian hadn't had a shower, or his wounds tended to in a day and a half. Too much was going on and he was tired. He took a cotton swab and cleaned a section of the scratch on his face hoping a decent DNA sample could be gleaned from it. He bagged it and set it aside. He undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water soothe his aching back. He put his head back into the stream and washed his hair then turned and as the water hit the cut on his cheek and the scratches on his face, they stung, and he winced. He didn't care though. All he cared about was finding Natalie. The real Natalie and getting her home safe.

He thought about the accusation from the impostor and how amazingly like Natalie she looked and acted. Just like the Trudy impostor, someone had gone to great lengths to get all of their information and every detail down just right.

He then thought back to the dissociative episode he'd had at the cabin a few months back. He had lost it because of Dale Beiderbeck and he'd just zoned out. He had almost hurt, and dare he even think it, raped Natalie then. If it was possible that one time, maybe that is what had happened this time. The thought made him shutter as he squeezed his eyes closed. No. He had been completely alert, and aware of the situation the other morning, except the fact that he hadn't figured out until it was too late that the woman he'd been with was not Natalie. He assured himself by going back over every detail. What did he miss that could have stopped the event? How could he have ever suspected Natalie not to be Natalie?

The detective shook his head, finished his shower, dried off and dressed quickly. He carefully shaved the day and a half of beard growth. He pulled out his first aid kit. He applied antiseptic to the cut on his left cheek, courtesy of Leland Stottlemeyer, and winced again as it stung deep down. A butterfly strip finished the mending and he emerged from the bathroom. He went into his living room to find Joe watching the news. Thankfully, the police were using discretion and hadn't released any information of this disaster to the press.

"Want something to eat?" Adrian asked as he tossed Joe the Zip lock. Joe looked at it.

"Yeah, that'd be great. What's this?"

"That is hard evidence hopefully. If there's DNA of that woman there, then we can prove she's not Natalie." As Adrian turned into his dining room, he noticed Joe's police revolver laying on the dining table. He walked into the kitchen wondering whether Joe had been careless or if he was testing him. As he prepared a salad for them, he kept glancing at the gun. Maybe he should take his chance now. Maybe that's what Joe wanted him to do. Maybe he couldn't trust him after all, and they were in it together to try and catch Adrian in what they though he was lying about.

Adrian pushed the bad thoughts about his friend away and finished the salads. He had to get out of this, and he didn't want his friends hurt in the process.

He called Joe to the table and set the food out. As he sat down, he pushed the revolver over to Joe. "You better put this away. There's a criminal lurking about." Joe took the revolver, smiling at his friend's diplomacy and trust and replaced it back into his shoulder holster. Adrian never touched his salad, and after a few moments, he left the table and went to his room. Joe sat back and sighed, feeling helpless and sorry for Adrian.

"Hello, Bobby?" Adrian said nervously into his phone, not knowing if he and Peggy had been contacted by anyone yet about the incident or the kidnapping.

"Adrian. How are you?"

"Not good, Bobby" he said quietly, trying to quell the emotion in his voice.

"What's the matter? Are you and Natalie alright?"

"That's what I'm calling about." Adrian inhaled a shaky breath.

"Bobby, we need your help." Adrian then explained everything that happened. On the other end of the phone, Bobby Davenport sat down hard. He trusted and believed Adrian and wanted Natalie's safe return more than anything. "Leland will probably contact you soon. He's pretty angry at me."

"Doesn't he understand that that's not like you? How much you love Natalie?"

"The problem is, he's just looking at the evidence right now, and it's all against me." He paused. "Bobby, if I wasn't me. I'd think I was guilty too."

"It's that bad?"

"It's that bad."

"How can I help you, son?"

"Well, the kidnappers should be calling you. They may be trying to keep me out of the way, so they won't be caught. I don't know yet." Adrian conjectured. "Can you meet me at Fort Point at eleven P.M.?"

"Yes of course."

"Don't use your own car, or a rental."

"How will you get out?" Bobby asked with concern.

"I'm working on that. Just make sure you're not followed."

"Peggy will want to come."

"No! She needs to stay by the phone. Tell her what I told you, but she needs to stay there."

"Yes, Adrian. Be careful."

"Thanks Bobby. I owe you."

"Adrian, we love you. You're our kids. Anything for you two."

"I'll see you at eleven," Adrian finished. He hung up and reemerged from his room. Adrian sat down and ate his salad without a word, and then he got up and washed the dishes.

"What's up Adrian?" Joe asked, not liking how quiet he'd become. "Come on, talk to me."

"I need to get out of here."

"I know. How are we going to pull it off?"

"We?" Adrian asked in surprise, turning from the sink.

"Yeah," Joe shrugged.

"No. It's not your problem."

Joe got up and walked into the kitchen. "Adrian, you're my friend. It is my problem."

"You can't just let me go."

"I gave you the gun."

"You gave me the gun?" Adrian asked incredulously?

"Yeah. You blew it though. Now we have to do it the hard way."

Adrian furrowed his brow. "I guess I'm not cut out to be on the wrong side of the law," he shrugged, turning back to the sink. His mind was racing. What was Joe up to? His question was answered soon enough as Joe suddenly shoved him roughly from behind.

Adrian turned to him in shock. "What are you doing, Joe?"

"Come on Adrian, get it done."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, with a hand up. He attempted to step past Joe, but Joe blocked his path. Joe was treading in unchartered territory with Adrian. He didn't know he'd kicked Leland's butt a few months earlier.

Joe shoved him back. "Come on Adrian!" he challenged. "Defend yourself."

"From what? Joe just let me figure this out."

"What's to figure out? Take me out. You're desperate to get away."

Adrian realized he was picking a fight so he could get away and Joe wouldn't be to blame. He didn't know if he was ready for that. He just wanted to sneak away quietly. Adrian put his hand up and glared at Joe. "No," he pushed past him, heading for the living room.

Joe put his hands on his hips, bowed his head and sighed. This wasn't working. He'd have to try something else, even if it meant hurting Adrian. He had to make him angry and desperate enough.

"You did try to rape her, didn't you?" he spouted. "You've been lying to us all along." This time he shoved Adrian into the threshold of the hallway.

Arian turned quickly to face Joe, a spark of anger in his eyes.

"What did you say?" he growled.

"How are you going to prove otherwise?" Joe said. "I think you wanted Natalie so bad you couldn't wait like you promised." Joe had his full attention and possibly wrath now.

"Shut up!" Adrian warned.

"Tell the truth man!" Joe continued the taunting. "Come on, I don't blame you. A fine thing like Natalie. You're a man, It's been a long time since Trudy."

"Shut up Joe!" Adrian began to shake with anger. Joe felt the tension building in the room and punched Adrian, busting open the cut on his face again. Adrian went down on one knee, surprised, hurt and seething at what Joe had said. He dabbed at the blood on his face, staring at it, then Joe. Suddenly he launched himself at Joe, tackling him into the next room. He swung at Joe repeatedly, striking his face with his fist. When Joe stopped blocking, Arian grabbed his revolver from his holster and jumped up, backing away. He ran to his room and grabbed a jacket. When he went back to the living room, Joe was still on the floor. Adrian was frightened and breathing hard, trying to calm himself. "I'm sorry!" Adrian told Joe, stuffing the gun in his waistband.

Joe tried to get up but really couldn't. Adrian had kicked his butt as well and Joe made a foggy mental not never to provoke him again.

"Go," he said groggily and passed out.

Adrian left quickly, jumping the stairs down to the street and running into the night. He thought of Natalie as he stayed in the shadows. He hoped to have an hour head start before Joe came to and called the Captain. He picked up his pace and headed for Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge and hopefully to the Davenports where he could figure out where Natalie might be.